[dhs12345]

Important: don’t use a debit card! Use a credit card.

Protection is much better with a credit card since the charge is billed against the credit card company first and then billed to the customer whereas the debit card deducts the charge directly from a person’s checking account and “good luck getting the refund.”

The CC company monitors “strange” charges and will contact the card holder almost immediately if there is a suspicious charge.

[headstamp 2]

“The CC company monitors “strange” charges and will contact the card holder almost immediately if there is a suspicious charge.”

Say what you will about VISA but I have one through my credit union and they have been fantastic about catching fraudulent charges in the past along with my credit union.

I only use a credit card, never a debit. Simply pay it off every month.

[ErnBatavia]

I have never, ever begun to understand why anyone in their right mind would use a debit card...........unless their credit's so lousy they can't get a credit card.

Just pay it off monthly - and when the cost of money actually had some significance, you could get that bonus of the "float" to boot.

[SamAdams76]

The CC company monitors “strange” charges and will contact the card holder almost immediately if there is a suspicious charge.

Correct. This happened to my wife and I last week while we were Christmas shopping. We were in the mall and had three or four quick transactions at various stores. On our way to the next store, we were contacted by the CC company that our card was de-activated until we called them back to confirm the charges. Within a minute or two, we had the card turned back on and we were on our way.

Now some consumers might see that as an annoyance but we greatly appreciated the fact that they were looking out for us (and themselves as well).

I only use my debit card to take cash out of an ATM. Other than that, it's only credit cards that are paid off monthly. The various protections make credit cards the only way to go. Using cash has no advantages whatsoever and carries much risk.

[Graybeard58]

The CC company monitors “strange” charges and will contact the card holder almost immediately if there is a suspicious charge.

I just received such a notice from my M.C. company. Four identical purchases at once on my card for $50 each. I'm the one that made the purchase on this occasion for Christmas gifts for four different people at the same time. I didn't think it was all that unusual, especially at Christmas time but I'm still glad they do this.